jade

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
: either of two tough compact typically green gemstones that take a high polish:
a
b
2
: a sculpture or artifact of jade
3

jade

2 of 3

verb

jaded; jading

intransitive verb

: to become weary or dulled

transitive verb

1
a
: to wear out by overwork or abuse
b
: to tire or dull through repetition or excess
2
obsolete : to make ridiculous

jade

3 of 3

noun (2)

1
: a broken-down, vicious, or worthless horse
2
a
: a disreputable woman
b
: a flirtatious girl

Did you know?

The English word jade that means “to weary” is not related to the name of the green stone jade. The origin of the earlier jade is uncertain. It was first used in Middle English to mean “a broken-down horse.” Later the word for a worthless horse was often applied to a woman (or, very rarely, to a man) considered worthless. Now a jade is more often a disreputable woman than a broken-down horse. Jaded, meaning “worn out,” is also derived from the equine jade. Originally, to jade a horse was to make a jade of it, to wear it out or break it down by overwork or abuse. It was not long before people, too, could be called jaded.

Choose the Right Synonym for jade

tire, weary, fatigue, exhaust, jade mean to make or become unable or unwilling to continue.

tire implies a draining of one's strength or patience.

the long ride tired us out

weary stresses tiring until one is unable to endure more of the same thing.

wearied of the constant arguing

fatigue suggests great lassitude from excessive strain or undue effort.

fatigued by the day's chores

exhaust implies complete draining of strength by hard exertion.

shoveling snow exhausted him

jade suggests the loss of all freshness and eagerness.

appetites jaded by overindulgence

Examples of jade in a Sentence

Verb a steady diet of nothing but lobster would jade the palate of even the most ardent lobster lover
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Xiyuan jade | Key Features: Smooths fine lines, lifting, tightening, massaging Best for Acne-Prone Skin Sacheu Beauty Gua Sha Our Ratings Ease of Use 4.5/5 Effectiveness 4.7/5 Quality 5/5 Overall Results 4.5/5 Pros Durable stainless steel is anti-bacterial and more durable than jade or rose quartz. Sophie Dodd, Peoplemag, 22 Feb. 2024 This facial ice roller borrows from the original jade design but with a cool twist. Rebecca Jones, Southern Living, 19 Feb. 2024 During the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the decision to use pieces of jade in the medals was considered unusual. Sonja Anderson, Smithsonian Magazine, 12 Feb. 2024 And Amazon bestsellers that make for great gifts—think budget-friendly jade rollers and gua sha tools—are up for grabs too. Andrea Navarro, Glamour, 5 Oct. 2023 The jade roller effortlessly glides over the skin and can increase blood circulation and reduce puffiness. Kat Romero, Rolling Stone, 7 Feb. 2024 While jade and pottery versions of these kind of accessories were common, bone earrings are rare to find. Moira Ritter, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2024 Some of the carvings on the femur bones depict a man holding a jade mask just like the one in the tomb. Julia Binswanger, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Feb. 2024 Some jade artifacts that predate the Western Jin dynasty were also found, archaeologists said. Moira Ritter, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2024
Verb
Because of Sunnylands’ history and mystique, this is one tour that even jaded Palm Springs locals clamor to experience. Sacramento Bee, 30 Jan. 2024 The food has to interest palates jaded by overindulgence and yet be comforting, too. Nigella Lawson, Vogue, 26 Dec. 2023 In the present day, things aren’t much calmer: Introduced surreptitiously smoking, child of wealth Sarah (Adwa Bader) appears jaded and bratty. Dennis Harvey, Variety, 7 Dec. 2023 Sell being jaded by your lifestyle, sell engaging and coveting it anyways. Harmony Holiday, Los Angeles Times, 1 Dec. 2023 Janet was gorgeous, inside and out … a flawless Scandinavian beauty that literally stunned jaded Hollywood types into silence. Mike Barnes, The Hollywood Reporter, 11 Nov. 2023 By the early ‘80s, the government was losing its grip on a public jaded by violence. Matthew Dursum, SPIN, 20 Nov. 2023 Hofmann seems way too old and jaded to sell the notion that Werner is some powerless kid forced to work alongside monsters. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 2 Nov. 2023 Employees may become exhausted or jaded by constant changes at the organization. Bypaige McGlauflin, Fortune, 13 Oct. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'jade.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

French, from obsolete Spanish (piedra de la) ijada, literally, loin stone, ultimately from Latin ilia, plural, flanks; from the belief that jade cures renal colic

Noun (2)

Middle English

First Known Use

Noun (1)

circa 1741, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1615, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of jade was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near jade

Cite this Entry

“Jade.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/jade. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

jade

1 of 3 noun
: a broken-down, bad-tempered, or worthless horse

jade

2 of 3 verb
jaded; jading
1
b
: to become weary
2
: to make dull or uninterested by too much of something

jade

3 of 3 noun
: a tough usually green gemstone that takes a high polish
Etymology

Noun

Middle English jade "a broken-down or worthless horse"

Noun

from French jade "the gemstone jade," from obsolete Spanish (piedra de la) ijada, literally "stone of the loin"; ijada derived from Latin ileum "groin, ileum"

Word Origin
Gemstones were once thought to cure sickness as well as to work magic. Jade was supposed to be especially good at curing kidney problems. In the 16th century the Spanish brought jade back home from the New World. They called the gemstone piedra de la ijada, meaning "loin stone," because of their belief that jade could cure kidney disease. Spain was not the only country to value this gemstone. Jade became popular throughout western Europe both for wearing as jewelry and for curing or preventing disease. Our English word comes from French, which had borrowed the last word in the Spanish name, spelling it jade.

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